MUMBAI: If the World Cup represents Quinton de Kock´s farewell to One-day Internationals, then the South Africa opener is bowing out in style.
De Kock is currently the tournament´s leading batsman with 407 runs, including three hundreds, from just five matches at an average of over 81 heading into South Africa´s game against Pakistan in Chennai on Friday.
Scores of 100 and 109 powered the Proteas to wins over both Sri Lanka and Australia, with De Kock´s superb 174 on Tuesday the cornerstone of South Africa´s 149-run rout of Bangladesh in Mumbai.
But having already called time on his Test career last year, the wicketkeeper-batsman announced before the World Cup he would be leaving the ODI stage after the 50-over game´s showpiece event in India.
A star of the lucrative Twenty20 franchise circuit, the left-hander may still be available for the 2024 T20 World Cup in the West Indies and United States.
Yet now aged 30, a time when many cricketers are approaching their peak, the end of De Kock´s international career is in sight.
Points Table
Teams M W L T N/R PT NRR
India 5 5 0 0 0 10 1.353
South Africa 5 4 1 0 0 8 2.370
New Zealand 5 4 1 0 0 8 1.481
Australia 5 3 2 0 0 6 1.142
Sri Lanka 5 2 3 0 0 4 -0.205
Pakistan 5 2 3 0 0 4 -0.400
Afghanistan 5 2 3 0 0 4 -0.969
Bangladesh 5 1 4 0 0 2 -1.253
England 5 1 4 0 0 2 -1.634
Netherlands 5 1 4 0 0 2 -1.902